Lamhe is an enjoyable film. Okay, I think much of the hype around this film's story and people calling it gutsy and bold and groundbreaking is nonsense. Nothing about this story is really shocking - we've had a better film, Mausam from 1975, showing a relationship between a woman and her mother's past lover, although not a romantic one, and actually Lamhe seems to share a few plot elements with this film. Now, of course, that in this film the man was responsible for the girl's upbringing does make their romantic swing a bit off-limits, but it's somehow forgivable because for some reason I didn't take the entire thing too seriously. The overall project is actually nice, and unlike Gulzar's beautiful and atemospheric Mausam, this one is actually very romantic and light, although towards the latter portions of the film, when everything gets serious, the atmosphere becomes much more gloomy.
Lamhe is a mainstream film in the true sense of the word. It has comedy and drama, song and dance, and the dialogue gets very melodramatic at points. The comedy involving Anupam Kher and Sridevi is quite fun. There are some childish elements in it but it all works pretty well within the context of the film, and the recap of Hindi classic songs is enjoyable. Waheeda Rehman is like the only sane voice in the house, although her part is nothing to write home about. She is a very good in whatever little she is given. Anil Kapoor is not particularly impressive here. Actually in the second half he barely has a role to play as it is mostly Sridevi's story. Do I find the romance believable? Probably not. Again, their pairing is quite off-putting. The music is so-so but "Kabhi Main Kahoon" is a great song.
Where Lamhe scores is in Sridevi's charismatic presence and intense performance. She plays two roles, though it is the character of the daughter which makes wonders - her comic timing is impeccable and her devastation later on is really affecting. Her ability to be a childlike prankster and then a moody, conflicted woman is really impressive. That she evidently enjoyed playing her role only helps. The film's atmosphere fully depends on her character, and due credit for this impact goes mainly to her. And how can one go on without mentioning her terrific dance number, "Moments of Rage", which conveys her character's emotional state more than any other acting scene in the film. She just breathes fire to vent her frustration - unusual, nervous, unsettling, and simply mindblowing. If anything, Sridevi is the prime reason to watch this film, which is nice but never outstanding.
